Moments with Jesse McCartney
by Jadiebeth
Summary: Quinn looks back over the moments that led her to this point on the stage at Nationals. I suck at summary's, give it a go! This is a very low M but i just wanted to be save!


**I know i have another fic to continue with but this wouldn't leave me. I'm sorry for all the spelling mistakes. I was looking for a beta. so if anyone is interesting in helping me with 'Last shot' Thanks for reading. I might come back to this verse at some point however if people like it. **

**June 2011**

Quinn stood to the side of the stage her heart pounding and her palms sweaty while she attempted to keep her breathing under control. 'Calm down you freak' she told herself. You are Quinn Fabray you can do anything!' She puffed out her chest trying to let the words wash over her. It wasn't working. Her heart was still beating out of control and now her mouth was getting so dry her tongue was sticking to the roof of her mouth.

"When did this happen to me?" She said out loud to herself. She didn't get nervous she had performed to crowds of people when cheerleading and never broken a sweat. Now she was pretty sure she had lost all feeling in her legs. "Brilliant." She muttered as she checked her phone for the hundredth time to see if Santana had text her. She wondered silently if the Latina had managed what she'd asked of her or if she was still gagging at the task she been asked to complete.

"You alright?" Artie's presence brought her back to reality.

"Not really. I'm about to make a complete idiot of myself aren't I?" She asked quietly.

"Maybe." He answered honestly. "But you are talking to the guy who got dressed up and sang can't touch this in the library." It made her chuckle. "I'm just gonna get my guitar, give me a nod when you're ready. And Quinn...relax. The bigger the risk the bigger the reward." And with that he rolled off.

Quinn stood alone again feeling her heart pound against her chest. When had her perfect world fallen so out of control? Quinn tried to pin point the moment, and she kept coming back to that night in October back in 2009 with Puck. It was getting pregnant. Her life would have probably led down this path at some point perhaps but this was the catalyst that started it all. Then she'd lied about it ended up kicked out and living with Finn, only to have the truth spilled by man hands and got stuck living with Puck. It had been a nightmare to say the least but she couldn't go back to her parents. She had seen them at the a week after moving into Puck's and they'd walked the opposite way to avoid her. In February 2010 she'd found herself living with Rachel and her dads. Quinn had told herself it would only be temporary and Rachel had only offered out of guilt for telling Finn. It had been awkward at first. They weren't really friends and they tried to keep out of each others way, except when they were forced together for either glee or dinner every evening at 5:30.

Quinn thought back over those months together. And couldn't help but chuckle, she would have never thought a friendship would have blossomed but it did much to Quinn's annoyance. She couldn't keep Rachel at arms length the diva had an annoying way of being persistent. Somehow it had all led to this second. Quinn didn't know the very moment it had all changed. But life is a series of moments all pieced together to lead you to this very second of your life.

As she waited she tried to put all the pieces together like a puzzle so she could see the picture clearly.

**April 2010**

Quinn couldn't sleep, Rachel and her dads were out. She had been living with the Berry's for just over two months and in that short time it already felt more like home that her own. This fact only made her heart ache, she watched how Rachel's father doted on her and it almost made her feel like she could burst. It was also in this moment that she knew she was doing the right thing giving her little girl up for adoption. She wanted her baby to have that, two parents who could give her the world, and she knew that she could never give her that. It was due to these thoughts that she couldn't sleep.

That's when she heard Rachel's bedroom door. She sat there for a moment longer, trying to think of a reason to knock on the brunettes door. Usually she would have called Brittney or Santana and they'd go for a drive but she was hitting 8 months of being pregnant and her complaining was driving them mental...their words. But even if Quinn

moaned Rachel still seemed to put up with her even when she'd whined all the way through Funny Girl. Rachel was still annoying and Quinn still found herself snapping but the diva just bounced back. And Quinn (much to her disgust) found herself apologising. These baby hormones were making her soft. She was sure of it.

With a grimace she slowly pushed herself off her bed. Before reaching over to her TV and picking up the 'my fair lady' DVD that she had stolen from Rachel's room. She stopped for a moment when she felt little feet kicking within her, "hey little one. I'll get Rach to sing to you in a minute." And that seemed to ease her off.

Walking to the door of her room mate she didn't even bother knocking which she would have snapped at the brunette for doing. "Rachel I was wonder-on my god! My eyes damn it!" Quinn yelled as she covered her eyes from the image of Jesse on top of Rachel with his shirt off. "my...god...dear lord!" She shut the door and shuffled back to her room, her head spinning with the image that was now seared into her mind. Rachel was getting some and she wasn't, it was making her tummy turn in knots. She was jealous of Rachel Berry! When did this happen? When did she become jealous of treasure trails love life? "God my life is depressing." She said as she got to her bed and laid back down. She didn't even care if she was stuck in this position. She scrunched up her nose and tried to get back up. "Damn baby bump!" She moaned as she tried to get up again.

"Would you like a hand?" Quinn jumped slightly and looked up to see Rachel leaning against her door frame.

"Usually I would say yes but I'm concerned about where your hands have been." The blonde replied as she banged her head back on the mattress. "Are your hands clean?" Quinn asked after a few minutes of silence.

She could hear Rachel clear her throat. "My hands are always clean. I carry hand sanitizer with me. Come here." She reached out her hands and Quinn begrudgingly reached out to accept them and be pulled up gradually.

"Thanks." Quinn grumbled as she sat on the edge of the bed with Rachel standing in front of her. "So where is choir boy?"

"Are you referring to Jesse?" Rachel asked with her hands on her hips.

"Yes. Unless there was another half naked man in your room I failed to noticed before my eyes started to bleed." Quinn arched an eye brow looking at the shorter girl. A month ago she would have told Rachel to get out of her personal space but now she had become accustom to it in a way she had never expected.

"No there was just him. I sent him home." Rachel sighed as she sat beside the blonde. "Thank you for not knocking."

Quinn frowned. "I'm not. I don't have my parents to pay for my psychologist bills."

"Would you stop making jokes when I'm attempting to have a serious moment with you Quinn."

"Sorry. Go on." She shrugged.

"When you were with Finn did you ever feel yourself getting carried away?"

Her face crumpled up in disgust. "Please say we aren't having the sex talk." She pointed to her belly. "Sex leads to this. Here ends your lesson." Rachel was glaring at her. "Sorry. Again. No I didn't really get carried away...I would always stop it and he was too much of a good guy to let it go further than I wanted." Quinn's heart tightened at the memory of Finn, and the time they had shared together.

"Okay." And then there was just silence.

"I'm taking it from your silence that it wasn't the answer you were after."

"I'm not ready... For you know...sex." Rachel said looking down at her feet and Quinn found it endearing that the brunette was embarrassed. "But when we are alone and we start to make out it all gets rapidly out of control and then he is shirtless and his hand is creeping under my Cardigan-"

"For the love of god please don't say another word." She called out covering her face with her hands. "Isn't there someone else you can talk to?"

"well Mercedes and Tina aren't having sex and Brittney and Santana have so much sex that I find it quite intimidating. You are a perfect balance." Quinn in a weird way felt touched that Rachel had picked her out to be the one to talk to.

"Rachel I had drunken sex and ended up pregnant." She told her rubbing her bump.

"You weren't ready?" Rachel asked.

"No. I wasn't. I thought my first time was going to be all romance and rose petals. Stupid huh." The blonde felt a hand rest on top of hers and she felt comfort in the gesture and didn't move away from the contact.

"No it's not stupid. I want my first time to be special and I don't want it to be an experience that I will regret afterwards." Rachel admitted. "And I think that if I give myself to Jesse then I will regret it." Quinn instinctively squeezed Rachel's hand.

"You need to talk to him. You are the strongest person I know, and I don't think you would let yourself do something that you will regret. When you are ready to sleep with someone for the first time you'll just know." Quinn turned to look into brown eyes and offered her a warm smile which the brunette returned before standing up.

"Thank you Quinn. Perhaps one day you will have a new first time and it will be everything it should be. Because Quinn Fabray you deserve nothing but perfect." With that Rachel leaned forward and kissed the blondes forehead and she closed her eyes as she felt the lips press down on her.

The evening had been full of firsts for them, like the boundaries in their personal space had been lowered. This was the moment their friendship became real. More than just Rachel holding her hair back when she had morning sickness, more than Quinn helping Rachel with their English assignment. This was the moment they really became friends.

"You want to watch my fair lady?" Quinn asked before Rachel could leave the room. "You can even sing along if you have to."

Rachel smiled. "That would nice. We can watch it in my room. And yes I do have to sing along."

That night as they fell sleep next to each other with the sounds of the film filtering over them and the stars were the only witness to what was starting.

**July 2010**

Only 3 weeks after that encounter Quinn was taken into hospital early when she went into labour. She and Rachel had been arguing about her singing at 6 in the morning. The diva had been more snappy than usual after being betrayed by Jesse and although Quinn had tried to treed lightly around the brunette she could not cope with the early morning sing-along's. Right in the middle of their disagreement Quinn had felt her water break. The brunette had at first believed this was a distraction so that Quinn would win the argument, but the wet patch on the carpet had convinced her otherwise.

Quinn was sitting at her desk thinking back to that day two months ago. Thinking about how Rachel had started bustling around like a storm getting Quinn's bag, making sure everything was in before waking her dads up and pushing them all out the front door. The shorter girl had held Quinn's hand the whole time and had only reluctantly let go when Puck had turned up. As Quinn had laid in bed afterwards she had heard Rachel's voice through the door demanding to be let in because "I'm her family!" Quinn had never told Rachel how touched she'd been by those words. It had been the brunette who had convinced Quinn to hold her daughter before she gave her away. It had been Rachel who had tenderly kissed both the baby's forehead then Quinn's before uttering "she's beautiful...just like her mom." And it had been Rachel who held when she'd cried when arriving home. Quinn hadn't been present when they had taken her daughter away but Rachel informed her that they had called her daughter Amy. The blonde had smiled through her tears at the information.

Two weeks after giving birth her parents had turned up unannounced requesting for her to come home. She'd refused all the while her hand had been clamped tightly in Rachel's. Quinn had watched through glanced eyes as her mother begged her baby to come home but she'd stayed strong and said no. They had left but started giving Rachel's parents money. But they didn't ask her to come home again, although the blonde did agree to go to dinner with them once a week but refused to go to church with them.

All these memories became too much for Quinn as her eyes started to leak and her hands found her empty stomach. All evidence of the baby bump had gone, due to a strict work out and diet. Two months on and her heart still ached with the memory of giving her little girl away. The Millers has been a lovely couple but she couldn't help wondering

what her life would be like if she'd kept her daughter and sometimes the thought of this caused her heart to break.

A knock on her door caused her head to snap up and hold back her sobs. "Quinn?" The soft voice of Rachel floated through her door and she didn't have the heart or the energy to tell her to go away.

"Come in." she said but didn't turn in her chair to face the brunette.

"I heard...crying." Rachel said as she opened the door. The diva stood in the doorway unsure of whether to enter any further. That was until Quinn turned around and she saw the mascara cascading down pale cheeks. "Oh Quinn." She said as she walked into the room and kneeled down in front of the girl wiping her eyes.

"Rachel...stop...no...don't." Quinn said grabbing Rachel's wrists and holding them away from her face. "Please, I don't deserve this." She explained quietly only to be met with a dark look from Rachel.

"What do you not deserve exactly?" She asked trying to look in Quinn's eyes but hazel orbs were looked anywhere but up into Rachel's face. "Hey." She said as she hooked a finger under Quinn's chin to lift her eye line to meet Rachel's curious stare.

"This. Please don't try and make me feel better. I should feel like this. God is punishing me."

"Quinn Fabray I do not ever want you to talk like this again. EVER. Do you hear me?" Rachel told her sternly but Quinn just wriggled out of her grasp and stood up turning her back to Rachel and stared out the window.

"I had sex before marriage got pregnant and gave my baby away. How is god not punishing me?" Quinn questioned more to herself than to Rachel and the tears started to flow. As silently she remembered her fall from grace.

"You made a mistake. I think God can understand that people aren't perfect all the time. Otherwise he will be sorely disappointed most of the time." Rachel said and Quinn could feel the shorter girl standing behind her now.

"But of all the things you can do wrong mine is pretty high on the list."

"You did not murder anyone and you did the right thing Quinn." Rachel moved to stand beside the blonde. "I make mistakes all the time."

"Like what? The biggest thing you've gone through recently was us not winning Nationals Rachel, you couldn't understand what I'm going through." Quinn snapped and as soon as she heard Rachel's sharp intake of breath she regretted her harsh words. But she was not going to apologise.

"I understand that you are taking your bad mood out on me because I'm the closest person to you."

"Don't flatter yourself." Quinn scoffed and wished she could shut her mouth up from saying anything else.

"I'm ignoring your overly harsh words at this time. Yes not winning nationals was very hard to deal with. And I'm aware that my heart ache is no where near the pain you are experiencing. If I could swap places with you I would."

"You're doing it again." Quinn sighed in frustration.

"Doing what?"

"You're being nice to me when I'm being a bitch to you." She knew she was taking the brunt of her mood out on Rachel and she hated that Rachel was still standing beside her taking it all.

"Because that's what friends do Quinn."

"And we're friends?" Rachel knotted her brows and Quinn knew her words had hit a soft nerve within the girl.

"Do you not consider me your friend?" She looked away when she asked the question and Quinn wouldn't allow herself to pull the short girl into a hug although that's all she wanted to do.

"Yes. I do Rach. I'm being a bitch." It was the best apology that she could muster up at that moment.

"You're entitled to be." She said quietly. "Do you regret it?"

"Sometimes. I don't regret the closed adoption. I couldn't have been in her life and hear her call someone else mom. She deserved the world. And I couldn't give that to her. I would have been a terrible mother. I'm too selfish." The hand that was hanging by her side was suddenly entertained with Rachel's. She wasn't sure if she had sought out Rachel's hand or vice verse, it didn't really matter.

"When the time is right you will be an amazing mother." Quinn made a noise of disbelief and earned herself a gentle squeeze. "You are not selfish...not anymore anyway." That got her a soft chuckle from the blonde. "You have grown more over these last 10 months than anyone I know. You are not selfish. I saw you give Artie I ride home last

week. And you stopped those jocks slushing Kurt and Tina. Then there is Brittney, that girl would not have even passed this year if you didn't help her. You care about people you just don't like showing it. Then there's me. When I found out about Jesse you watched Funny Girl with me and let me recite it line for line even though it annoys you.

Quinn, you look after people you just don't know you are doing it. It's natural to you and that is what will make you a great mother when the time is right." All through Rachel's words silent tears escaped Quinn's eyes. The brunette's words were like hammers attacking the stone walls that protected her heart. They stood their in comfortable silence.

"What was it like finding Shelby? Would you have looked for her if she hadn't of found you?" She didn't look over to the diva, she wasn't sure if the question was too personal for her to answer. "Sorry I shouldn't have-"

"No it's okay. I always wondered about her. Did I look like her and if she could sing...I had all these fantasies about us finding each other. That we would stay up all night talking and sharing." Rachel looked out the window intensely. Quinn couldn't decide if Rachel's words were making her feel better or not. "But reality does not always work out the way you want it to I guess."

"You're not wrong." Quinn added. "I'm sorry you had to go through that." She held Rachel's hand tighter trying to offer some support.

"I'm not. Because the truth is I had everything I wanted right under this roof. I don't need a mother I have two parents who love me and that is all that matters. I was selfish for wanting more than I have. But that's my problem I want everything too much."

"That's not a bad thing. Your dads are wonderful although not the best cooks in the world." Quinn laughed and Rachel joined in and Quinn thought it made her pain soften slightly. "I'm worried she will come to find me one day and I will disappoint her."

"You won't disappoint her. If or when she finds you then all you can be is honest with her. Hold her and tell her you wanted a better life for her. Tell her how hard it was. But most of all tell her that you loved her everyday." Quinn was quietly crying and Rachel took the chance to pull the girl into her arms and when the blonde didn't pull away she held tightly. They stood like this for what felt like forever.

"Thank you." Quinn said quietly.

"I'll leave you be." Rachel finally said as she began to leave the room.

"Hey Berry, you fancy watching Calamity Jane? I could use some light entertainment." She asked with a small smile wiping away the stray tears that coated her cheeks.

"Of course. I never say no to a musical interlude." She smiled one of her classic Rachel Berry smiles and it caused a warmth through Quinn's body. "I'll go put my panamas on and meet you in my room in 5 minutes prompt." Rachel was at the door when she heard Quinn's gentle tones.

"Thank you for being here Rachel."

"I wouldn't be anywhere else." She smiled as she left and it was with this encounter that Quinn knew that Rachel had somehow transformed herself into her best friend. She couldn't have talked to Brittney or Santana about this and Puck wouldn't have understood. With Rachel she took all of Quinn's baggage and helped her carry it. And she couldn't help but smile at the idea of spending the night in with her friend watching a film.

**October 2010**

Quinn's feet pounded against the floor as she ran through the corridors of her high school. She'd had to quickly go over some of the routines with Ms Sylvester and run to her car before glee. Quinn hadn't been sure about rejoining the cheerleading squad but when they hadn't won Nationals for the first time in the last five years Sue had all but begged her to come back. The blonde had enjoyed seeing the woman so close to being on her hands and knees pleading for her return. And the truth was apart from the crazy diets she actually missed it. She missed the structure and the competition that it offered. Sue had met Quinn's terms which meant that Quinn was now reinstated as head cheerleader and she could also still be a part of glee. Rachel hadn't been happy with this information at first stating that Quinn wouldn't be able to give herself fully to glee, however the blonde thought that perhaps Rachel was considered that their friendship would suffer. But Quinn had promised her friend that nothing was going to change. If Quinn sprinted then she could make it in time for glee...she picked up pace and didn't stop until she collided with the door. 'Smooth.' She chuckled to herself.

"I'm here." Quinn said as she walked in to the room with a sly smile. She wasn't going to apologise because after all she was Quinn Fabray head cheerleader again.

"That's okay Qui-" Mr Schu started but was quickly interrupted by Rachel who stood up from her chair in the front row.

"You're late." She said.

"I'm not late." Quinn shrugged.

"I think the fact the rest of us are here sitting down and Mr Schu was in the middle of talking would suggest that you are late. Otherwise you would be sitting over here instead of standing over there."

"I get it Berry. But perhaps I'm not late and you are just started early." Quinn arched an eyebrow and she thought for a second she saw Rachel smirk.

"Must you call me by my last name." Rachel walked towards than taller girl

"I must." She fired back to the brunette as they now stood a few feet apart.

"Why can't you just admit you are late so that we can just move on." Rachel went on placing her hands on her hips.

"Aren't you going to intervene Mr Schu?" She heard Kurt ask and watched as their teacher shook his head.

"Just let them get it out of their systems."

"If I was late then I would say so. But since I haven't said I was late then one can only assume I'm not late."

"You said you wouldn't let cheerleading conflict with glee. Brittney and Santana made it on time." Quinn looked over the brunettes shoulder and was greeted with a bored look from the Latina and an excited wave from the blonde.

"I actually had to run back to my car to pick up my sheet music." Quinn finally admitted and that received a small smile from Rachel. "I said I can do both and I will." They smiled at each other for a few moments longer. And Quinn almost forgot where they were.

"Right so where was I?" Mr Schu took the silence as a chance to make the groups presence known and the girls went to take their seats next to each other. "This week we are working on love songs, it doesn't have to be falling in love as I said last week. Any aspect of love because it's something that we can all relate to at some point in our life. Whether it be a friend or a lover. Loves transcends everything." Quinn couldn't stop herself from smiling at Mr Schu's words. She didn't know why but they touched her. "So who's prepared first to serenade the class?" He asked

with a cheesy grin and Rachel's hand instantly shot up. "Rachel...is no one else prepared?" The brunette shuffled in her seat dying to get up and sing. Mr Schu's eyes slowly fell on Quinn and she realised the sheet music in her hand probably gave her away. "Quinn..."

She sighed. "Fine I'm ready." As she stood up she noticed Rachel seemed annoyed that she had been looked over, but her frown quickly turned into a proud smile. She recalled the previous night with the brunette who was trying to help Quinn decide on the right song. It had ended up with them arguing when Rachel was pushing Quinn to do overly

soppy love songs. Seriously Rachel had suggested 'Wind Beneath my Wings', and she'd even made Quinn sing it twice before the cheerleader snapped. But like all their arguments they weren't really arguments, they didn't say anything hurtful or cruel to each other and the moment Rachel smiled Quinn instantly forgot what their disagreement was about.

She went over to the piano giving Brad the music with a nervous foot shuffle before standing in front of everyone, she felt their eyes boring into her. She was about to say she couldn't do it until she saw Rachel grinning, and nodding her encouragement. The piano started to filter to her mind and realised that she had to start singing.

"Just like a star across my sky,

Just like an angel off the page,

You have appeared to my life,

Feel like I'll never be the same."

Quinn felt the air was being knocked out of her. She could feel the nerves taking over, she wasn't made to be a solo singer. But she took a breath and continued knowing it wasn't worth the wrath of Rachel to stop. But she tried not to look anyone in the eye even avoiding the eyes contact of the pint sized diva.

"Just like a song in my heart,

Just like oil on my hands,

Honour to love you."

She could feel herself getting into the song finally and feeling brave she smiled at Rachel and continued.

"Still I wonder why it is,

I don't argue like this,

With anyone but you."

She gave the brunette a quick sly smile. "We do it all the time, Blowing out my mind."

Finally she came to the end and she could sense her heart beat returning to normal. "Just like a song in my heart,

Just like oil on my hands." And that was it, Quinn took a big sigh when she was finished. And Rachel stood up clapping until Quinn glared at her and quickly took her sit but continued to clap hard.

"That was really good Quinn." Mr Schu commented after the applause from the club had died down. Quinn caught Rachel's eye and a bashful smile lit the tanned girl's face.

"Thanks." She replied to her teacher and was about to retreat back to her seat however his hand on her shoulder stopped her and she exhale noisily with disappointment. Quinn stood their uncomfortably. In cheerleading she adored being the centre of attention because she knew she was the best one there, but here in glee she doubted her vocal ability. She would have much preferred to have been sitting with the others passing judgement instead of being judged.

"So what aspect of love do you think that song was referring to? I'm impressed with your song choice. You didn't go for the obvious pick." Quinn tilted her head at Rachel as if to say 'I told you so' and the brunette just shrugged with a guilty smirk.

"I think it's about a love that changes you. Something you've never felt before. And you can argue and shout and fight but at the end of the day you have such a strong bond that you get through it all. Maybe about falling in love with your best friend. But this song can relate in so many different ways it could be a mother and child. I really

just chose it because I like the medley. It's pretty." she admitted.

"Right well it was great nonetheless. We should give you more of a shot up front." Her face dropped and she looked to Rachel hoping the brunette would start a rant about having to share the spot light. However instead of disgust she was met with a grin that was bursting with pride. 'Excellent' Quinn though sarcastically to herself, 'I can't even rely on outrage from her.'

"Thanks Mr Schu but I'm happy in the back ground. Who's next?" She quickly said before she slinked back into her seat.

"That was actually better than the songs I suggested you sing." Rachel admitted but didn't turn to look at the blonde which made Quinn smile.

"Was that difficult to say berry?"

"Extremely." She remarked with a soft smirk.

"You are such a drama queen." The taller girl laughed as she bumped her shoulder against Rachel's. The snort of laughter from behind caused Quinn to spin round and look at Kurt and Mercedes with a puzzled expression who turned their eye line away from the duo in front of them.

"Although wind beneath my wings would have been a stand out song."

"You have to be able to relate to the song your singing." Quinn said with a puzzled look.

"You could have. You could have thought of me." Rachel stated with a wide grin and Quinn rolled her eyes.

"Oh yeah. Did you ever know you're my hero." She said her face dead pan.

"Yes Quinn you could soar higher than an eagle." Rachel went on saying the words in the same toneless voice.

"But you are the wind beneath my wings." Quinn went on and gently sang the final words and the duo burst into a fit of giggles and the rest of the group just watched them with bemused looks.

This was the moment Quinn didn't realise that her song had been more than just a song, more than just some random words strung together. This had been the moment her feelings changed beyond simply friendship. But Quinn didn't realise it. She just laughed along with her best friend and ignored the giant bats taking control of her stomach.

**Jan 2011**

Christmas and Hanukkah passed by in the berry house hold and Quinn couldn't have been happier. When the new year had come in and Auld Lang Sye played in the back ground Quinn had pulled Rachel into a hug and kissed her cheek. She wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else. Not a day passed where she didn't think about her daughter and the pain didn't disappear but being here eased her suffering if only slightly.

She was sat at the piano in the sound proof basement surrounded by many other discarded instruments that had belonged to Rachel. She had tried them all but had eventually lost interest because she wasn't as good with them as she was with her voice. Quinn's parents had invested in piano lessons when she had been young but it was always expected to come second to her dancing in their eyes. She often came down to the basement to escape from the crazy upstairs. She had been rusty at first with the piano but often Mark; Rachel's dad would hide down here as well. He loved the piano also and would help the blonde with tunes and tips and now she was back on track. Her hands glided across the keys playing a random tune and she smiled to herself, proud that she had got to this level again. Quinn had hated when her parents had forced her to stop playing to focus on her dancing.

"You're getting good at that." Mark said and she stopped to turn and face him. Her lips curled up as he walked closer and she scooted over on the seat so he could sit beside her.

"Thanks." As her fingers scaled the higher register of keys and Mark's played along with the keys in front of him. They would often sit down here playing together until either Rachel or James; Mark's husband would appear at the top of the stairs. "You're almost as good as me now." She laughed and it caused him to make a wrong note and Quinn

cringed. "You should practice more."

"Hey! I would if you wouldn't hog all the time down here. Do you want feeding for the rest of the week?" He threatened but his toothy grin didn't hold it.

"Are you cooking the meals?" Quinn sniggered, it was a running joke that Mark was a terrible cook. Although he did order a mean take out.

"You are gonna be going so hungry." With that they both stopped playing and sat there in silence for a moment for there were very few moments of it in this household. "You really are getting good." He said honestly as he put his arm around Quinn and she rested her head on his shoulder. It was times like this where she realised that the Berry's were now her family, it was them giving her comfort and support when she needed it and not her own family.

"Do you think you'll take music at college?" He asked randomly and Quinn's heart tightened. When people asked her about college she said she hadn't thought about it. Truth was she wasn't letting herself think bout it not any more because there was no way she could go any longer. She was going to be stuck here in Lima.

"I hadn't really though about college." She shrugged and kept her eyes down. He pulled away to try and catch her eye but she avoided it.

"Really?" He pressed and she could feel his attention on her.

"Yeah I mean going away to college isn't for everyone. I have loads to focus on at the moment, with glee, cheerleading and school." This time she looked up to see his gentle face and knew by his sceptical expression that he didn't believe her. "Maybe at one time I thought a little bit about going away to NYU studying English. Learning the city like the back of my hand. Meeting friends at little cafes to discuss our readings and finding funky little bars to dance away the stress. Laying in central park in the heat and going to see shows and plays." She trailed off lost in her thoughts and his hand over hers brought her back to reality.

"But you've only thought about it a little bit?" He questioned with the same look that Rachel had mastered, father and daughter had a way of seeing through her.

"Fine, I use to think about it all the time, getting out of this town. But that isn't going to happen now. I'm an excellent cheerleader with National titles under my belt and my GPA is good but NYU doesn't offer scholarships for cheerleading and even if I did get a scholarship I still couldn't afford it all. I can't afford it now. So why think about it." Quinn could feel the all too familiar sting of tears against her eyes but she refused to let them fall. She was not going to let Mark know how much this was hurting her.

"Why's that?" He probed further.

"I know it's been a while since you went to college but it's not cheap. The debt would cripple me. I was thinking that perhaps I would apply to community college here. I can go visit Rachel at Julliard and she can show me around the city." The blonde smiled up at the older man sadly, trying to convince him that she was okay with this decision.

"No." He said firmly. "That won't do. You have one of the highest GPA's in your year, you are not going to waste that."

"But what-"

"But nothing." He interrupted her. "We will have to work something out. You are going to do great things Miss Fabray, and you are part of our family so don't you argue. Just come here." He said as he wrapped his arms fiercely around her. She loved Mark and James so much they felt more like home to her than her own parents and in this

moment her love for him made her feel ready to burst. It was too much and she could feel the tears threatening to fall.

"Thanks." She said quickly pulling back. "I'm going to head up stairs and finish my assignment." She kissed his cheek and smiled before quickly bolting up the stairs feeling a single tear roll down her rosy cheeks. She rushed by past James in the kitchen who looked at her with a puzzled expression.

Quinn climbed the stairs up to the landing slowly wiping away all the traces of her moment of weakness. She was passing Rachel's room when she stopped suddenly knotting her forehead before quirking an eyebrow with a smirk. She could hear the diva singing along to 'why don't you kiss her.' she hadn't heard this song in a while and it surprised her that the brunette was listening to this song. She didn't even knock and just barged into the room and came face to face with a startled Rachel. The brunette cheeks suddenly turned bright red and Quinn was a little bemused by this, she had burst in on Rachel singing loads of times. But she had never seen the girl look so embarrassed before.

"Hey...are you listening to Jesse McCartney? Quinn asked trying to bite back a chuckle.

"What? Do you think all I listen to are show tunes?" She shot back putting hands on her hips.

"No. I know all you listen is show tunes." Quinn replied biting her bottom lip and swallowed her laugh.

"I like him okay even if it is cheesy pop. He doesn't have an overly powerful voice but the lyrics to his songs can be quite relatable." Rachel tried to explain. "Everyone has a guilty pleasure and it seems you have suddenly stumbled upon mine. I would also like to point out that I heard you singing along to the Spice Girls last week." And just like that Quinn's face dropped.

"The Spice Girls were a well respected girl group!" Quinn tried to argue but she knew there was no chance of getting out of this one.

"I do believe that my point has been made." Rachel smiled and sat down on her bed. "I like this song." Rachel explained and Quinn could feel the brunettes eyes burning into her and she didn't understand the stare.

"Well he should just kiss her instead of singing about it." Quinn tried to say light heartedly, attempting to break the sudden tension she could feel. Rachel had been acting strange the past month and it had not gone unnoticed by Quinn. She couldn't put her finger on what was bothering the brunette so she'd decided to give her time to come out with it on her own. She cared about Rachel more than anyone and didn't what her to feel forced or pressured into talking.

"Really? What if she doesn't feel the same." Rachel's voice became serious and Quinn knew the tension had not lifted but she considered Rachel's question for a second.

"Well at least that way he knows. Nothing is worse than living with a world of what if's." She offered hoping that it was the answer she was looking for. The blonde walked over to Rachel and ruffled her hair gentle which caused the shorter girl to frown and look up into hazel eyes annoyed.

"Is it necessary that you do that?"

"Well if you were taller then I wouldn't be able to do it. So really it's your own fault for being so short Berry."

"I'm not short." Rachel huffed.

"No you are fun sized." Quinn chuckled before leaving the divas room and heading back to her own. She hated thinking that Rachel was going through something that she couldn't about. Something had changed between them but she felt her heard become fuzzy when she thought about it too long.

Quinn was sitting at her desk flicking through her history book. She still had two weeks for this paper to be in for but she wanted to crack on with it. Plus it was a good distraction from thinking about her future and what ever was bothering Rachel. Perhaps if she spoke to her parents they would consider helping her out. However her thoughts were unable to proceed any further when she heard the knock at her door.

"Enter." she said in a mock English accent and laughed to herself.

"That was terrible." Rachel said as she walked in and Quinn spun her chair around to face the brunette.

"Really I thought I sounded exactly like Mary Poppins'." She replied sarcastically before turning back to her book. "What do I owe the pleasure?" The cheerleader took her marker to highlight a specific phrase in her book while waiting for Rachel to speak. "Berry I don't think you've ever been so quiet. And it's unnerving so spit it out."

"I wanted to talk to you."

"That would require you actually talking." She went on but didn't look up from her book.

"This is hard for me to talk about which is odd because of the sheer volume that I can talk in a day."

Quinn put down her marker and turned to face the brunette with a concerned expression. "Just talk to me. You usually tell me everything. Even stuff I don't really want to know about."

"I'm not sure if this is one of those things you don't what to know about. Perhaps you do, but maybe you're not ready." Rachel fidgeted as she walked further into the room shutting the door behind her.

"Well unless you tell me we won't know now will we." Quinn stated with an arched eyebrow. She could see the worried look on the brunettes face and it caused the taller girls stomach to tighten. She hated to see the diva in pain or worried and all she wanted to do was ease it. "Hey. Talk to me Rachel." A small grin appeared on Rachel's lips but Quinn could see that the gesture was an effort.

"I like someone." Rachel finally said looking at her feet. "But it's complicated."

"That explains the song." Quinn remarked recalling Rachel's sing along earlier.

"Well you're aware of how I like to sing through my emotions." She indicate but still refused to look up.

"All too aware of it in fact. So is it Finn because I'm okay with that so it shouldn't be complicated." But she could something in the core of her that wasn't okay with it. She didn't like the fact that Rachel was interested in her ex but she couldn't decide if it was because of Rachel or Finn. She could feel it like a creature from inside licking her rip cage just waiting to be let free. But she was Quinn Fabray head cheerleader and he was in control of her life now. And she pushed the animal down. Both Rachel and Finn deserved to be happy, she wasn't going to be selfish any more.

"It's not Finn." Rachel piped up and Quinn caused her forehead to wrinkle with a deep frown.

"Then who. Oh god it's not puck is it. Because I don't have any feelings towards him any more but Rachel he's a whore and you can-"

"It's not Puck either and could you please stop interrupted me because you are making this more difficult." For the first time she lifted her head allowing Quinn to see into tormented brown eyes and for a brief moment Quinn thought she could see all the way into Rachel. And for a brief instant she thought she saw something she has never seen before...love. But she ignored it. Like she always did. Quinn was excellent at ignoring things.

"Sorry." Quinn muttered. "But if it's not them who could it be?"

"Well if you allowed me to talk then I would tell you." Rachel shuffled on the spot. Quinn watched with an amused smirk as she watched the cogs in Rachel's head spin round. "I always thought that my heart belonged to Finn. Even when I was courted by Jesse." Quinn's heart contracted, perhaps she had heart burn because it was giving her

some trouble. "But over the last few months this has not been the case. I do care for Finn very much, but I have realised that my heart has been stolen by someone else. Although I would have given it to them of they had asked." The shorted female started to pace across the room, her hands getting bigger in gesture as she talked.

"Rachel. Are you alright?" Quinn asked when hearing the confusion in the brunettes voice.

"No I'm not alright. I have goals. I have plans. I had planned for everything but this. And now I don't know what to do." Her voice cracked a little bit at the end and Quinn wanted to go and hug her, but knew that the brunette wouldn't appreciate it.

"Just tell me who it is. It can't be that bad."

"Oh this could be an earth shattering revelation."

"Do you think you are being a little dramatic?" She asked but Rachel shot her a glare that told her that this wasn't the case. "Sorry. Go on."

"Quinn I can't. This was a mistake I'm sorry." Rachel began to retreat towards the door but Quinn jumped up and bolted towards the door before the diva could get there.

"Hey, hey wait." Quinn said holding Rachel's shoulders stopped the girl from leaving.

"Let me leave."

"No not until you tell me what's going on." Quinn went on trying to get Rachel to look her in the eyes.

"I can't okay. Just leave it."

"You came in here for a reason. And you're upset, just talk to me."

"I can't Quinn. I can't talk about it. Just forget I said anything."

"I can't forget it. Damn it Rachel just talk to me!"

"I like you!" Rachel almost shouted and then it went silent. Quinn was sure that the only sound in the room was her heart pounding within her chest. Had Rachel just said she liked her? Had she heard that correct? How was this possible, Rachel was her best friend. Sure they were close, falling asleep together watching films, or hugging each other randomly but still! She had not seen this coming, could not have fathomed those words leaving the brunettes mouth. Or had she? Had she wanted to hear that? She couldn't process her thoughts quick enough. "Quinn..." Rachel said quietly cutting short Quinn's inner struggle.

"Rach I...I don't." Quinn had so many thoughts exploding in her mind that she couldn't put them into any order. "I don't know what to say."

"I don't expect you to say anything at the moment. I told you to leave it. But I'm glad it's out there now. As you said it's better to regret doing something than regretting not doing it." Quinn stepped back wrapping her arms around herself just staring at Rachel who was searching hazel eyes frantically. Yet the brunette seemed to be standing taller as though a weight had been lifted. "Quinn say something please, I know this might have been a surprise but it can't be that much of a shock to you."

"Rachel you're my friend. My best friend." Quinn tried to make sense of it all and she wasn't entirely aware of the words leaving her mouth. "This doesn't even make sense." Rachel took a step forward but Quinn retreated a pace and Rachel almost flinched.

"Are you quite sure of that Quinn? It has been said that the best relationships are those that are born from friendship."

"Rachel I don't...I have never thought about you in that way. I mean you're Rachel." Quinn scrunched up her face knowing everything she was saying was coming out wrong.

"And I'm a loser, is that what you're trying to say? How could you possibly have feelings for someone like me?" The short teenager now took her own step back placing her hands firmly on her hips with her lips pursed together.

"That isn't what I meant. You're putting words in my mouth and you're making this harder." Quinn attempted to defuse the situation but Rachel's expression didn't change. "Why are you the one who is angry? You're the one who just dropped this all on me. What do you expect me to say to this!"

"Why are you acting like this? On some level you weren't expecting this?"

This only fuelled the anger that was starting to grow in the blonde. "What are you saying? That I knew you had feelings for me? You knew that I would react like this! Hence why you said it would be earth shattering. Consider my earth shattered."

"That was purely because I realised that you have not yet come to terms with your feelings." Rachel stated this like a fact rather than an opinion.

"Feelings for you. Are you serious?" She didn't laugh but she felt like she could at how weird this situation was. She didn't think of Rachel in a romantic sense. But she had never really taken the time to think about it before. She did care about Rachel but she cared about all friends...Perhaps not a much as she did for Rachel but they'd been through a lot together. It was to be expected wasn't it?

"I think you should be able to tell by tone that I'm serious. You have feelings for me Quinn."

"Yes I do. You're my friend." Quinn tried for a gentler approach this time, seeing as her anger wasn't getting them anywhere. She also did not want to hurt Rachel she could see that this had been hard for the girl to talk about. "But it doesn't go any deeper than that."

"Bullshit." The word caused Quinn to jump a little. Rachel was not someone who used curse words often and it was often a sign of her mood. When Jesse had returned to vocal adrenaline the brunette had turned the air blue. Which had actually amused Quinn but this time it only shocked her.

"You are my best friend. And I love you, but I love you like a friend. Nothing else."

"You're a liar. You are just scared to look into us deeper because you're afraid of what you might find."

"There is nothing to find."

"There is nothing wrong with having feelings for a girl even if the girl is me." That's when Quinn noticed it, there were a fresh set of tears glancing over brown orbs.

"It has nothing to do with you being a girl. I'm a cheerio after all." Quinn had told Rachel all the stories of what the cheerleaders got up to, although Quinn never slept with any of them she had kissed a few of the girls on the squad. Quinn against her beliefs or past beliefs thought that sexuality was not something you could label. It was about a person. "This is about you and me. I'm sorry Rachel but if I look at you what I see is my best friend and that is something I will always cherish but that is all I see. I'm sorry." Quinn reached out for Rachel's arm but the brunette wiped it back with a scowl.

"I'm sorry too. Because you can't admit to what has really been going on here. Perhaps I'm pushing for too much too quick. So I'm going to give you time-"

"I don't need time." Quinn interrupted, trying to get her point though, but she knew Rachel and she was stubborn.

"I'm going to give you time." she repeated. "Then when you're ready to be honest I'll be waiting." Rachel moved towards the door and was about to walk out when Quinn's voice stopped her.

"you've just changed everything." Quinn said sadly to the floor.

"Perhaps that's for the better. But if it has then we weren't very strong to begin with." Rachel replied not turning around and left a stunned Quinn watching her leave.

'What had just happened?' It felt like a blur, she couldn't remember a single particular word they had said to each other even though it only occurred a second ago. Quinn fell back on her bed with a thump and looked up at white ceiling. This was a mess. How could she get past this? Her best friend had feelings for her which she didn't return. 'What if you do though' she thought to herself but she shut the voice down. Maybe Rachel was right she hadn't looked into their relationship deep enough but now she didn't want to. She could not have feelings for Rachel Berry. She wouldn't allow it.

That night the moon watched over a blonde in turmoil with a chuckle. Because he knew that this was the moment that Quinn started to realise that she did have feelings for the brunette. Even if she couldn't admit it aloud, her heart was trying to reveal the truth. Because it wasn't heart burn she was fighting that night it was her feelings.

**April 2011**

It had been a hard few months, and that was an instatement, Quinn thought bitterly to herself. She couldn't return Rachel's feelings, although she had let herself consider on more than one occasion that her feelings went deeper than friendship. But she would not let herself lose what her and Rachel had built together. It had nothing to do with Rachel being a girl, this was the 21st century. But she wouldn't allow herself to ruin this. People might have thought it was a shame that didn't allow herself to realise her feelings but Quinn was bigger than shame. She had walked through the hallways of McKinley pregnant there was nothing she was ashamed of. They were best friends and although the strain was obvious to see they were slowly getting back on track. Rachel had not mentioned her feelings for the last few weeks and they had gone back to joking and laughing together. But right now what ever she was or wasn't feeling for Rachel were Quinn's last priority, at this second all she cared about was getting their friendship firmly back on track.

Her plan was simply. She had in her hand she had three things Rachel berry could not refuse. Dancing in the Rain, Mamma Mia and the Wizard of Oz. The door bell went and her plan was finally coming together. She answered the door to the delivery man and took the Chinese from him before giving him a big tip. The Berry men were out for the evening recapturing their magic as they put it but Quinn thought they couldn't be more in love. It made her smile. She put the Chinese in the kitchen ran up the stairs with the DVDs firmly in her hand. It was fool proof.

She knocked on Rachel's door and waited holding up the movies so Rachel would see them first. But after a few minutes of waiting Quinn's face fell. She was sure Rachel was in the house. That's when she heard the lock to the bathroom door down the hallway and turned quickly to face it. Rachel stopped on her travel to her room when she saw Quinn standing at her door.

"Quinn." She said with a slightly embarrassed look on her face.

"I got these!" Quinn said with a bright smile and the blonde suddenly took in girls appearance. Her feet were slipped in a pair on red heels that made her calves look toned and legs even longer. As her eyes travelled up half way up her thighs started a floral dress that seemed to cling to every inch of her body. Her hair and make up were simple just wavy hanging down her shoulders and minimal make up. She looked different...beautiful was the actuate word. Quinn was only aware that she was staring when she heard Rachel say her name but she only barely heard it over the pounding of her heart.

"Quinn...did you here me?"

"What?" A blush was rapidly moving up her neck to her face. Rachel was looking gorgeous, although in the past Quinn had mocked Rachel's appearance in truth she had always thought the brunette was attractive. She had a girl next door look, innocent and vulnerable. Quinn would never admit it out loud but she liked the way Rachel dressed. Tonight however she looked so gorgeous that Quinn was concerned that her heart had stopped. "Why...where...why are you dressed like that?"

"You don't like it?" Rachel quickly asked looking down prior to creasing out her dress self consciousl.

"No. I mean yes I like it." Quinn rolled her eyes at her lack of cool. "You look…Wow." Rachel's head shot up and she smiled so warmly that Quinn could feel a heat growing inside her. "Not that there is anything wrong with how you usually look." Rachel composed herself and nodded before trying to slide past Quinn. "So are you going out?" Just like that her perfect plan was starting to unravel. Rachel couldn't have been doing anything with the glee club because she would have been invited, a funny empty feeling started to creep through her and Quinn started to brace herself.

"Yes." Came the simple reply and Quinn knew that wasn't a good sign.

"Where are you going?" She continued to push although it was clear that Rachel wanted to escape this conversation.

"To that little French place off main street." Rachel answered as she tried to avoid Quinn's eye line.

"Dressed like that?" It wasn't an insult, it was just dressing up and going to that place meant..."Wait are you going on a date?" Quinn's voice had raised a few octaves higher than usual and it sounded foreign even to her own ears.

"I am." With that Rachel hurried past to her room and Quinn could only stand there. It felt like someone had just punched her in the stomach, all the wind was knocked out of her. After regaining control of her body she followed after Rachel. 'How could she be going on a date? She was meant to have feelings for me!' Quinn thought bitterly to

herself. The blonde could taste blood in her mouth and bile in her throat, her body was trying to tell her something but she was in too much of a daze to listen.

"What? Who with?" She questioned as she stood in the girls doorway watching her pack a few things into her purse.

"It's not really any of your business." Rachel stated however she did not look up but she sighed before finally gaving in to look into confused hazel orbs. "If you must know I'm going with Finn."

"Finn? As in my ex boyfriend Finn?"

"You don't know any other Finn's. And don't suddenly pretend you're jealous because only a few months ago you said it was okay if I dated him." Her shoulders were held high as though she was anticipating a fight from the cheerleader.

"You said you didn't care about him like that." Quinn told her, confused because it only felt like yesterday Rachel was confessing to liking her.

"I didn't. But I think I should give him a chance. He's nice and cares about me a great deal." The blonde thought it sounded like Rachel was justifying it more to herself. "I don't have time for this Quinn. He will be here in a second." Rachel glanced at the time and put her phone in her bag before closing it.

"I thought you liked me." Her voice was small and Quinn thought that perhaps Rachel hadn't heard her words.

"I do. I did. But I can't wait around forever for you to realise that you like me too." Rachel was now standing right in front of a distressed blonde and for once they were the same height. "It's not fun liking someone who doesn't feel the same way. I can't sit next to you and have your head on my shoulder or your hand in my lap. It's too hard. So I'm moving on." Quinn had thought the pain inside her couldn't get any worse...she'd been wrong there was a stinging

sensation behind her eyes and stomach was tying itself in knots.

"What if I don't want you to?" Quinn final spoke up even though her mouth was completely dry. They could hear the sound of the doorbell but neither girl moved to answer it.

"You aren't giving me a reason to stay." Rachel's voice was barely a whisper as she squeezed past Quinn and began to walk down the stairs. Rachel was right, she wasn't giving her a reason. The truth was she didn't have a reason to give, not one that would make sense at that moment.

"Rachel..." The brunette spun around quickly her eyes wide. "Have a good night." For a few instant brown eyes lost their shine as she turned back and continued her walk.

"You too." Were the final words she said as she departed the house. Quinn ran to study at the front of the house and watched Finn and Rachel walk towards his car. The footballers hand was on her lower back and it made Quinn's blood boil. He opened the door for her and she smiled before getting inside, Finn was lovely and harmless but she

couldn't control the need to go out there and slap him.

Quinn didn't need a moment to realise what she was feeling. She didn't need to go into her room and process all the emotions she was feeling. She knew without a shadow of a doubt what the feeling inside was. It was jealousy. And she knew it was because of Finn. But she also knew she had been jealous the instant she'd found out Rachel was going on a date. She was jealous of his hand on back. She was jealous of the smile Rachel gave him. She was jealous of the night he was about to share with her.

"Fuck." She said aloud as the car pulled away. "I like her." Just like that a light bulb went off in Quinn's mind. This is what her body had been trying to tell her for weeks and she'd ignored it and now it was too late...or was it? She thought hopefully to herself before grabbing her coat and car keys.

Quinn Fabray was a lot of things. Sister. Pregnant teenager. Head cheerleader. Daughter. Smart. Glee club member. Driven. But there was only one word to describe what she was about to do. Stupid.

Quinn at in her car outside the restaurant contemplating what she was going to say but the truth was she didn't know what she was going to say. She didn't know if she wanted Rachel right now but what she did know was she didn't want anyone else to have her. That made her sound like a child but it was all she could think of to say, it was only thing she knew for certain. So without a plan and without any real speech Quinn got out of the car and headed towards the restaurant.

Inside she was greeted by a waiter. "Can I help you?" Quinn couldn't really hear the question, her eyes were scanning the place. Then she heard the brunette's laugh and Quinn turned to the source.

"No it's alright I just need to talk to that girl over there." She didn't wait for a response as she walked confidently over to the table. She didn't hear what the waiter was saying as she strode away and she didn't care. Quinn Fabray was on a mission.

As she got closer she could just make out their conversation. "We're not great. Did you see the last game? Our guy slipped on the mud on the other teams touch down line." Finn said and Rachel laughed politely before reaching out and touch his hand.

"I saw the game. You would have lost by more if it wasn't for you." His head shot up and he gave her a goofy smile. Quinn felt sick hearing her try and make him feel better.

"You watched the game?"

"I watch all your games." Then Quinn was standing right beside the table looking down on the pair. She wanted to rip Rachel's hand away from where it was over Finn's. "We're not quite ready to order." Rachel explained never looking up.

"I'm not a waitress." Quinn said coolly and Rachel suddenly looked up pulling her hand back.

"Quinn?" She coughed out clearly startled.

"Rachel." She looked over to the boy. "Finn do you mind if I borrow her for a moment?" Although it wasn't really a question as she grabbed Rachel's arm and started to pull her away from the table.

"Yeah sure." Was all he could say as Quinn took them outside.

"Quinn. What are you doing? I'm on a date!" Rachel said as she whipped her arm back and stared at Quinn.

"Well you shouldn't be." She spat back her jaw was tense and she knew her emotions were taking control of the situation.

"I didn't realise I had to ask your permission." She was standing in a typically Rachel Berry stance with her hands on her hips.

"I don't want you going on dates." She told her and Quinn saw the anger flash across Rachel's face.

"And why not?" Quinn knew this was her opening. Her moment to say everything she was feeling the only trouble was she had come here on auto pilot and had yet to understand her emotions.

"Because I hate it. It makes me jealous." She admitted but her answer didn't soften Rachel's annoyed expression.

"You do not get to come and ruin my date just because you're jealous. What is this? You don't want me but you don't want anyone else to have me?"

"No!" Quinn said throwing her hands up. "I think I do like you." She confessed quietly but Rachel heard because Quinn noticed the change in her demeanour. Rachel was usually an open book, she laid all her feelings on the line. But Quinn could not see what was going on in the brunettes mind and the suspense was killing her.

"I've had enough chasing after you when you won't stop to let me catch you." Rachel said after a few moments of them silently staring at each other.

"I'm stopping." Quinn said stepping forward only to have Rachel retreat a pace backwards.

"But are you just stopping to get your breath back before you bolt off again? I can't keep risking my heart. If you cared about me you wouldn't be here." And just like that Quinn felt like the worst person in the world. She was still that selfish cheerleader she was last year. She wanted everything and she didn't care who she hurt to got it.

"Why are you here? I thought you said you liked me?" Yet she continued to push. Quinn knew she should just walk away let her feet take her home but she couldn't.

"I want someone who wants me like I want them. Someone who looks at me and the world disappears. I thought eventually you would see what we have. But you're just like a child who's losing her toy. I'm going to go back inside now. Please do not follow me. Go home." Quinn felt like she was always left standing by herself watching Rachel walk away from her. But she honoured the girls request and stood there as she went back inside to resume her date.

Quinn waited at the window back home for a while until she realised she couldn't watch Finn give Rachel a good night kiss. 'Why was it that you always seem to realise your feelings too late?' She thought to herself as she heated up the milk on the kitchen stove. She needed something to help her sleep, her imaginary images of Rachel and Finn were driving her insane. Quinn heard the front door open and shut followed by quick feet running up the stairs. For such a small person Rachel sure made some noise.

She wanted to follow the brunette ask her about her date. But she knew it would be torture for her to hear so instead she stood there and drank her milk. She couldn't be selfish. Rachel deserved better. She deserved better than 'I think I like you.' and wasn't that what you did when you cared about someone? You let them be happy even if it wasn't

you who was making them smile.

Walking up the stairs she could hear Jesse McCartney once again playing from inside the room. Quinn wondered how she never noticed how Rachel listened to him so much but she assumed it was probably because Quinn had just been happy not to her show tunes blaring out. The blonde walked to the door and was about to knock when she heard

Rachel's voice floating through the door.

"You can't walk back in my life,

You had your chance to be by my side,

I don't have to hear you cry to know."

Quinn lowered her hand as she continued to listen feeling her heart going crazy inside her.

"Just go

I gave you my word and I promised to love you

Go, it's over

You had your chance."

Quinn turned and leaned against the door feeling a silent tear run down her cheek. Taking away the pain of giving birth this was the worst feeling she had ever experienced. It was an empty feeling that began to creep through her, taking away all her reasons to smile.

"Just go

There's nothing inside me that still feels connected to you

To me you're already gone...I got a new love now."

Quinn's bottom lip quivered and she had to hold back the sob that was trying desperately to escape. How could she have been so stupid to let Rachel go? She was more than her best friend. For the last 8 months Rachel had been her everything. She was so lost in her heart break that she didn't hear that the song had finished and also didn't her

the door click open. A second later she was laying half way in Rachel's room on her back staring up at a confused brunette.

"Ow." Quinn said sitting up and rubbing the back of her head.

"Are you alright?" Quinn felt a rush of joy at hearing the concern in Rachel's voice.

"Probably just a brain haemorrhage." Quinn said with a smirk but Rachel didn't laugh and instead straighted up and moved back slightly.

"Were you eavesdropping?" Rachel asked suspiciously.

"No. I mean I know this looks bad. But I wanted to say sorry about tonight and then I heard you singing."

"Yes I was recording my myspace video. I have been rather slack with it in recent weeks." Quinn already knew this because she checked Rachel's page frequently, her song choice was usually a window into what the other girl was feeling. But there had been none.

"Rach can we talk?" Quinn said as she used the door frame to pull herself up.

"I don't think that would be wise." She said fiddling with her hands.

"Why?"

"Because I don't think either of us want to hear what the other person has to say."

"How do you know that?"

"Finn kissed me goodnight and I let him. And I will probably let him do it again." Quinn grabbed her stomach on impulse and her eyes shut tightly. "Did you want to hear that? And I don't want to hear how you think you have

feelings for me. So it's best if you go to your room and we stay out of each others way for a while."

Quinn just shook her head defeatedly as she went to walk out she stopped with her back still to Rachel. "Just answer me one thing."

"Quinn..."

"Please just one question then I'm gone."

"Okay."

Quinn looked over her shoulder as Rachel looked anywhere but right in front of her. "Do you really watch all of Finn's games?"

Rachel sighed. "The cheerleaders are at every game. I watched for you."

Quinn waited until she was in her room to smile. This was the moment she realised she liked Rachel. The instant she admitted it to herself she felt all the cogs fit into place. Perhaps it was a little messed up and perhaps Rachel was now dating Finn. But what she knew for certain was Rachel still had feelings for her and she returned them. It might not have been enough for anyone else just to know someone had feelings for you but to Quinn it meant the world. It meant there was still a chance.

**May 2011**

5 weeks after that and things hadn't returned to normal and truth was Quinn hasn't expected them to. She had hoped that perhaps Rachel might engage in friendly conversation however she did not. The only time they exchanged words were in glee or at the dinner table and then it was merely chivalry. Quinn found herself watching Rachel even when she was not aware she was doing. Noting the way she pressed her lips firmly together when she was annoyed. The way she laughed with her whole body. The way she watched everyone with detail as they prepared for Nationals. Everyone except her. Quinn had led the Cheerio's to Nationals and won, she had thrown herself in practice for it, using it as an excuse to take her mind off the brunette. Sue had looked at her briefly as they were handed their trophy and Quinn thought he saw gratitude but he wasn't sure. But no matter how she trained she could not get thoughts of Rachel out of her mind.

The lack of cheerio training meant that glee club had doubled up it's rehearsals, not wanting to lose as they had got themselves this close for a second time. She was with Rachel almost 24 hours a day but she had never felt further away from the diva. Every time she would try and talk to Rachel she would either find an excuse to leave or Finn would appear. She couldn't deal with watching it. Finn's arms around her waist or her head on his shoulder it made her want to explode with jealousy. With the said they have not been as couplely in the last week or so and Quinn thought that it was probably due to all their extra work.

Quinn was laying on her back on the football field staring up at the clouds. Her iPod was on her chest playing out tunes. After a muse song had finished the familiar melody of a Jesse McCartney song floated into the air. 'Take your sweet time' filtered over her body and she smiled to herself. Quinn had spent an evening downloading some of the pop star's songs and had to admit they weren't as bad as she thought.

"It isn't a crime to want

A little space to breathe

But you will be fine

The sun again will shine on you

Whatever you do."

She found herself singing along surprised that her vocal cords still worked. Quinn sighed she felt like she had been singing and dancing non stop and she had decided that she had earned a break. She was going to try and talk to Rachel but as soon as Mr Schu had called a lunch break the brunette had pulled Tina and Kurt into the choir room no doubt to go over their vocals. She hated that Rachel was ignoring her and that she wouldn't look her in the eye, even Mr and Mr berry had noticed their distance. Quinn felt like her heart was constantly aching, that every time Rachel turn away from her, her heart broke all over again. A constant pain that had no intention of dulling. She would often lay in bed at night wonder how it had taken her this long to realise? How she had never noticed what was right in front of her the whole time? Life was cruel, Quinn thought quietly, she'd made Rachel wait scared of how she felt, scared how it would change them. And now they were so broken Quinn wasn't sure if they could ever be healed.

"Take your sweet, sweet time

I will be here when you change your mind

Take your sweet, sweet time

I will be here for you baby

Anytime."

She was stopped by a shadow cast over her. "What are you listening to?" Quinn opened her eyes, slightly squinting with the sun in her eyes. She didn't really need to open her eyes she knew who the voice belonged to.

"I don't know." Quinn shrugged. She didn't want to add that it was the bad influence of Rachel.

"My god! If I have to sing any more I'm gonna rip out my own voice box. Who calls practice on a Saturday?" Quinn wanted to point out to Santana that they had multiply Saturday trainings for cheerleading but she bit her tongue. "I'm sweating like a whore in a brothel." She said as she collapsed next to Quinn.

"Well that's an image." Quinn said closing her eyes again and letting the warm summer breeze run over her.

"I would make a fortune. That's my future sorted." Santana said with a sigh.

"Good to see you're aiming high San." Quinn chuckled. "Although I think Britt might have issues with your career choice."

"Shut it." Santana snapped and Quinn smiled widely turning her head to face her friend. "Even after cheerio training I'm not this exhausted."

"That's because we can't show Sue weakness." They laid their in silence letting their bodies take a well earned break.

"Look preggers-" Santana spoke up.

"Really? Your still going to call me that?"

"Just let me spit this out because I'm only gonna say it once." Quinn held her hands up defensively nodded for her team mate to continue. "Thanks. You know for coming back to the squad. As great as I am and I'm fucking immense we lacked something without you."

"Aww. Is this our touching movie scene ending." Quinn joked.

"Fine. Fuck you very much. That's the last time I ever say thanks." Santana said as she reached out and mildly slapped the blonde. "That was meant to be harder. I'll try again when I get my strength back." The Latina explain then again lapsed into quiet.

"San?" Quinn said after a few minutes. The Latina shifted her head to face her friend and squinted her eyes. She looked at Quinn with raised eyebrows waiting for the blonde to continue. "About you and Britt..."

"What about us?" There was a hint of annoyance in her voice as she looked back to the sky but Quinn didn't care. She was use to the girls constant pissed off persona.

"How did you know...that you liked her?" Santana snapped her head to the side shielding the sun from her eyes.

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about."

"Oh come on. I've known you two forever. You've always been having sex but even I can see that it's different now. Your softer with her."

"I don't know-"

"Cut the crap. I don't care. It doesn't matter to me. As long as your both happy." Quinn said reaching out and touching her friends hand.

"You've turned soft since babygate. If you breathe a word of this to anyone."

"San I know so much worse about you and I said I'll take it all to the grave. I think you and Britt are good together, she keeps you grounded. How did you know?" She asked propping herself up on her elbows.

"That it was more than sex?" Quinn nodded. "I thought it was a bit of fun. Getting some when there was no guys about to itch my scratch."

"Poetic."

"You want to hear this?"

"Yeah. Keep going."

"Then one day I just knew. It was more." Santana finished and Quinn frowned at her expecting more of an explanation.

"What do you mean 'you just knew'?"

"Its the way I will sit and watch honey or centre stage on repeat or it's when I listen to songs that I hate but they mean more because Britt likes them. It's the way that everything is better just when she smiles at me. And when I realised all that, I just knew. And I swear if you repeat any of this...wait why are you asking this?" Santana's cheek were glowing with a light blush and the old Quinn would have mocked her but she couldn't do it. Maybe she was right, Quinn had gone soft. "Do you like someone? Are you FINALLY ready to get into the dating pool again? Me and Britt were worried you were gonna check yourself into a nunnery."

"Funny." She replied clearly not amused.

"So...?"

"Okay I guess there is someone." Quinn shrugged trying to make it seem like it wasn't a big deal.

"Oh my god! How long have you been holding back. Who is it? Oh it's not Puck is it? Because he's a walking orgasm." Santana sat up staring down at her friend.

"No it's not Puck."

"Then who!"

"It's just someone I know. They're really..." She couldn't think of a word to describe Rachel that was good enough. "They're funny and sweet and they get me on a whole other level that no one has." Santana shot her a look. "In a different way to you." Quinn remarked with a sigh.

"Okay what is going on with the vague 'they're'?...Quinnie is it a girl?" The blonde's cheeks instantly turned red and her face started to burn. And the smile on Santana's face said she didn't need to answer. "huh, who is it, the only girls you hang out with are in glee and cheerio's but they don't count...and out of the glee you're only really close to me, Brit and...oh." The brunettes girl's face dropped.

"What?" She now sat up and looked at her friend apprehensively.

"Oh my god!" She was staring at Quinn like she had two heads and it was freaking her out.

"What?"

"No way!" She was shaking her head in disbelief.

"Seriously!" Quinn threw her hands up wanting the other cheerleader to spit it out.

"Berry! Are you kidding me!" Quinn's eyes went cartoon wide at the shock but as she stumbled over her words she knew that there was no point lying any more. "Rachel Berry? Man hands?"

"Don't call her that."

Santana's jaw fell open. "You use to call her that! You came up with the name."

"I know." Quinn's head fell into her hands as she grimaced. How had she got herself into this? Her and Rachel couldn't stand each other and now bang here she was stressing about her rapidly growing feelings. "But now I think I like her."

"Right. Answer me this. Do you watch films she likes over ones you like?"

Even now, even though her and Rachel weren't talking she found herself gravitating towards musicals. "Yeah I guess but that doesn't mean-"

"Right and how about music, has your taste changed at all?"

There was Jesse McCartney who she couldn't stand previously. And her iPod had a growing collection of show tunes. "Well yeah but I've always had an-"

"When she smiles-"

This time Quinn was the one to cut her off. "Yes when she smiles it lights up my god damn day." She admitted.

"Great." The sarcasm was obvious.

"What?" she asked sceptically.

"You are crushing on Berry. Do you love her?" Santana asked puzzled with a dash of fear.

"No!" She shouted almost too quickly.

"I think you love her." San mocked with a laugh.

"I do not. I like her okay I'll admit that but Jesus how do you know if it's love. I mean seriously." Quinn rambled.

"You are so screwed."

"Look it doesn't even matter." Quinn said rolling her eyes. Did she love Rachel? She was completely wrapped up in the brunette. Hearing her voice made everything better. She made her laugh when it was the last thing she wanted to do. "She's with Finn."

"No she's not."

"I live with her. I think I know who she's dating."

"Well clearly you don't. They broke up last week."

"What?" The word ripped from her throat and she couldn't help but think she sounded like a boy going through puberty.

"Yeah Britt told me. Apparently they just weren't working or something." Santana shrugged clearly unbothered by the news.

"Are you sure?"

"Like a heart attack. It's pretty obvious. They aren't making me feel sick by being disgustingly all over each other."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Quinn spat out trying to process what she had heard? Why hadn't Rachel told her?

"Because I didn't know you were lusting after her. Seriously are you sure? Berry? Really?" Quinn shock her head and wiped her brow.

"yeah. I don't know. I wasn't planning for this. Seriously San, this is messing me up."

Santana stared at her hard fusing her lips together, before she reached out and placed her hand upon pale skin. "Fine. If you're sure. So what are we gonna do about it?"

"What do you mean?" Quinn looked up surprised by her friends words.

"You're Quinn Fabray. You get what you want and as your second in command I have to help you. That rule applies beyond the squad." Santana smiled at her and Quinn squeezed her friends hand touched by her words. "Do not go getting soppy on me though."

"Thanks S. You I know that I lo..." She couldn't get the words out but with the grin on Santana's face she knew she didn't need to say the L word.

"Yeah I lo you too. Now that our sentimental moment is over. Lets get to work, but remember you owe me for this. Because you and Berry is a lot to swallow."

"And we all know you can swallow a lot." That earned her a light slap as they both began to laugh.

Quinn entered the choir room 20 minutes later and saw an empty seat next to Rachel. "Hey." She said as she stood in front of the brunette who reluctantly looked up to great the tall girl with a forced smile.

"Hello Quinn."

"Is this seat taken?" She said pointing to the spot beside her and a panicked look flooded Rachel's face.

"Actually I was saving it fo-"

"Excellent thanks." Quinn interrupt and took the chair before smiling widely to the diva. She was sure that she heard Rachel swallow hard and it made her grin. She was going to get the brunette. She was Quinn Fabray.

This was the moment everything changed for Quinn. This was the moment she decided to fight because maybe she did love Rachel she didn't know, all Quinn knew was that she wanted Rachel in her life. She wanted to be able to feel those full lips against her own. She wanted to feel those arms around her waist and her head buried in her shoulder. She wanted to love Rachel.

**June 2011**

Quinn thought about those moments that led her here to this moment, standing on the side of the stage for Nationals. She took a deep breath and felt her knees start to wobble slightly. She wiped her forehead, she was sure she was sweating more than when she gave birth. Her phone started to ring and she shakingly pulled it to her ear.

"Yeah?"

"Right you have ten minutes and you owe me fifty bucks because surprisingly the lighting guy wasn't interested in seeing me and Brittney kissing. Blatantly gay. So go."

"Am I making a fool of myself San?" Quinn asked quietly.

"Probably. But fuck it." She chuckled. "Now go make an idiot of yourself." Quinn hung up her phone told Artie that it was show time before she stepped out onto the stage picking up the microphone on her way. A spot light found her and she put her hand up shielding her eyes from the strong light. An applause erupted and shock her head.

"No no, the show hasn't started. Stop! Hey!" She shouted the last part and the clapping stopped almost immediately, Quinn felt proud at this. 'I've still got it' she thought. "I just want you attention for a moment. My name is Quinn Fabray most of you won't know who I am, I go to McKinley high school." She tried to scan the auditorium but couldn't make anyone out with the spot light in her face. "This has nothing to do with Nationals. This is me trying to tell someone how I feel. I want to tell someone that I can't stop thinking about them. I lose hours of my day lost in thought of us being together. I'm a lot things. I'm hot headed. I'm selfish. But also I think I'm in love you. Rachel Berry I'm crazy about you." She had gone over her speech a dozen times but she hadn't remembered a single word and now was just flying on auto pilot. "I'm not scared...well I'm terrified but here I am telling you how I feel. Maybe it doesn't matter any more. But I'm fighting for you. So here it goes."

Quinn walked over to the piano that sat in the middle of the stage. She had been practicing for the last three weeks, going over the song so she knew it back to front. But she was worried her nerves were going to take over. Her fingers grazed the keys before she started to play. She took a lung full of air, cleared her throat and started to sing.

"I know how it feels

To wake up without her

Lying here all alone

Just thinking about her

And I can't believe her hold on me

It's something indescribable

I know she knows

But won't you please."

Quinn had seen Artie roll onto the stage a few moments earlier and nodded to him as he began to follow the tune with his guitar.

"If you see my girl

Just tell her I miss her smile

Tell her I'm counting the minutes

Gonna see her in a little while

Oh, oh cause

I know when she holds on to me

She's the one thing that I could never live without

Oh, oh, oh…

Tell her I love her."

She once again looked around hoping to catch a sight of the brunette but all she could make out were random faceless people.

"Oh yeah

Just tell her I love her."

Finally Quinn felt herself get into the song, hoping the feelings were getting out. This was her big shot, she

was putting everything she had on the line. She continued to play and noticed people swaying and putting their hands in the air. Quinn was not confident in her vocals but this was giving her the boast she needed to finish this song.

"If you see my girl

Just tell her I miss her smile

Tell her I'm counting the minutes

Gonna see her in a little while

Oh, oh, cause

I know when she holds on to me

She's the one thing that I could never live without

Oh, oh, oh…

Oh, oh, oh…

Oh, oh, oh…

Tell her I love her

Oh…

Tell her I love her."

She played the final notes sitting at the piano a moment longer. She had chosen the song because of Rachel obsession and she had to admit she was starting to see the attraction of the music. The blonde got up taking the microphone with her and stood in the centre of the stage.

"Rachel, maybe I'm not good enough for you and I probably don't deserve you. But Rachel I miss you. I miss what we could have been and perhaps I've just made a complete fool of myself but I really don't care. All I care about is you. So if your out there could you give me some sign that I have a chance. Anything a wave, a shout, the chorus is funny girl." She laughed as she waited for the brunette to let her know she'd heard every word. The whole room started to shuffle in their seats looking around for this Rachel Berry. Quinn stood their silently her heart and hopes falling quickly to the floor. "I guess that's my answer. Sorry for interrupting everyone's day." She said sadly, if it was possible her heart was breaking all over again. She was sure all that remained of her organ was a mass of dust. She began to walk back off the stage...

"Wait!" Quinn spun back round her eyes darting towards the sound until she saw a short girl standing up in the middle of the auditorium. The silhouette started to shuffle out and began jogging to the stage. Quinn watched open mouthed as Rachel ran towards her jumping up on the stage. "Hey." She smiled and the taller girl grinned back as they slowly walked towards each other.

"Hey."

"So you think you love me? Or are you sure?" Rachel asked when they stood only a few centimetres apart. The brunette was biting her bottom lip nervously and Quinn was certain she had never seen such an adorable sight.

"I love you." Quinn said confidently.

"Well are you going to kiss me?" The shorter girl asked with a smirk tipping her head slightly to the side. Quinn looked around at all the people watching them intensely. "Unless you're worried about all these people." Brown eyes looked at her and Quinn felt every wall she had ever built up come crushing to the ground.

"Not a chance, because I can make them all disappear." She stated before she wrapped her hand around Rachel's neck pulling her into a deep kiss. Rachel's hands went to Quinn's waist before slipping round to her back pulling her in closer. The brunette tasted like cherries and freedom. She tasted like everything she loved all rolled up into

one unique taste. Their lips moved in sync and she felt Rachel run her teeth over her bottom lip. The sensation went all the way down to her feet filling her whole body. Suddenly she became aware of cheers, she could vaguely make out the voices of new directions and then it sounded like everyone in the whole place was clapping. Rachel pulled away first but kept her hands on the blondes hips. Quinn took a moment to look out into the crowd and saw everyone on their feet. It felt like a corny scene from a movie and it was perfect. Rachel's hand on her cheek forced her to look down at the other girl.

"I love you too Quinn Fabray." Quinn ran her thumb gentle over Rachel's cheek, unable to say anything to the beautiful female before her. "Jesse McCartney?" She asked with a smirk.

"Well I happen to know the girl I sang it for likes him…have you seen her by the way?" This earned her a hip squeezing from the brunette. The girl was about to lean down and capture those full lips that she doubted she would ever tire of kissing.

"Time to go!" Santana shouted as she ran onto the stage followed by Brittney.

"That was lovely. I'm so happy for you both." The blonde cheerleader said pulling them into a hug.

"Jesus we have loads of time for this later. We gotta go!" She shouted as she pulled the girls off the stage as a security guy came running behind them.

They won nationals this time and when they were announced as winners Rachel didn't run to get the trophy. She pulled Quinn closer and pulled her in for a kiss. The blonde smiled into the lips before breaking away. "Go get your trophy." Quinn said with a chuckle.

"I did." Rachel said with a grin so wide it lit up her face.

"You're so cheesy." Quinn laughed kissing the girl on the head.

"Perhaps. Doesn't make it not true however." Quinn suddenly didn't care about the rest of the group who jumped around with excitement she leaned down and kissed the girl who had surprisingly claimed her heart.

This was the moment Quinn was finally whole again. Maybe they didn't have a future. Maybe they would last forever. Maybe Rachel would prove that it possible to kill someone with show tunes. Quinn didn't care about any of it. Quinn thought about how people's life's were made up of moments but all that mattered was this moment wrapped in Rachel's arms. This was her happy ending.

**July 2033**

"So that's how you met!" Fiona said with a wide smile and the two women looked at each other with their hands clasped together. The audience watching them clapped and Quinn felt hot under the collar.

"Yeah that's it." Quinn said looked to the audience who awwed at them and the blonde blushed even deeper.

"So you chased her?" The interviewer directed to the blonde.

"Well I chased her first." Rachel interjected with a frown as though they hadn't even listened to their story.

"Really? I was the one who made a fool of myself in front of an auditorium full of people."

"But I was the one who made the first move."

"And then you backed off. If I hadn't persuade you then we wouldn't be together." They were looking at each other now as if there was not a studio full of people watching them.

"That's you're opinion."

"That's my fact." Quinn laughed.

"Sorry to interrupt you two." Fiona chuckled. "But if I looked up the expression 'like an old married couple' there would be a picture of you two."

Quinn looked at her wife and Rachel grinned at her as she picked up their connected hands and kissed the back of her wife's hand. "I like that...except the old part." Quinn said with a sly smirk.

"Well if you're old then that would make me an OAP or knocking on deaths door." She laughed. "So you've been together since you were 17 and now you're stars of stage and screen. But you never planned to be actress did you?" The question was focussed to Quinn.

"No not at all." She laughed. "I was studying English at college, I never really thought about pursuing the arts in all honesty."

"now you're one of the highest Hollywood earners. It's the story that every budding young actor wants isn't it?" she went on and the blonde nodded.

"Yeah Rachel had just been cast in spring awakening and I was at the opening night and got approaches by a some guy."

"That 'some guy' being Andrew Phillips, only like one of the biggest names in casting." Rachel added with a bemused look.

"How was I mention to know that! I just thought he was one of those perverts you see in movies trying to seduce the girl. But I actually called him after some convincing by this one." She explained pointing her thumb towards Rachel.

"And you got yourself cast in James Cameron's 'The sublime.'"

"It was pretty crazy I only went to the audition for a laugh I didn't expect to get it." She chuckled.

"Then you got cast as Tabby in the Wolfbane Chronicles. Which me and my teenager daughters love. But your career has just gone mental really. And I have to congratulate you on your recent Oscar win for Charlie love." This earned a huge cheer from the audience. Quinn liked the 3 Wolfbane films but had been shocked by the sudden lack of a personal life she possessed after these films. They had outsold both Harry Potter and the Twilight movies. She had done them years ago but it was what she was known for. She had down many films since but interviewers always came back to them. "I have to ask were you worried about how your personal life would impact on your success? Especially when you became a pin up for teen fans."

"I think we both thought about this. I told my managers and agents early on that I was in a relationship with a women and Rachel told her producers the same."

"But at the end of the day if they had said that it mattered then I wouldn't have taken the job." Rachel admitted. "Never thought I'd say that due to the fact that I always thought my dream was being a Broadway star. But you get older and your dreams change." She squeezed Quinn's hand a little tighter.

"Who I love doesn't change if I'm good or not and that's what James Cameron said. He was so cool about it. He just shrugged and went on as though I'd just told him I'd had salad for lunch." The audience laughed along with them.

"You also have a beautiful family." The interviewer went on.

"Yeah they're perfect. There's Amy who's just turned 23 and Lily is 13, the twins Sacha and Masey are 10 almost 11 and Harry is 6." With the a picture came up on the screen behind them and the married couple couldn't help but grin at each other. In the photo Rachel was pushing the stroller with Harry in it and Quinn had her arm around her wives waist kissing the side of her head. Lily was giving Sacha a piggy back, while her twin sister Masey was skipping along in front. Quinn looked out into the audience and saw their children smiling up at the picture as well. She was filled with an unexplainable love that took hold of her daily.

"You all look so happy. You have another daughter as well Amy as you just said?" She explain as another picture flashed up. This time it was at a fund raiser they had attended last summer, at the memory of that day Quinn smiled. They posed for this picture unlike the previous one. Harry stood in the front in his daily rocker attire thanks to Pucks influence. The twins stood either side of him, Lily stood behind them next to Rachel and in between the two adults stood Amy. Rachel couldn't help but think that the girl was the spitting image of Quinn in her younger years.

"Yeah. She came to live with us when she was 15." A part of Quinn was always waiting for Amy to find her, but the day she'd got a phone call from a teary girl she hadn't been expecting it and yet she wasn't surprised at the same time. Part of her had wondered if it was a set up to try and get money but the moment her and Rachel had laid eyes on

her they had known it was the daughter she'd given away.

"She was adopted wasn't she?" For the first time during the interview Quinn felt uncomfortable and Rachel noted the girl had tensed up.

"Yeah as we said earlier, I got pregnant very young and I just couldn't give her the life she deserved. But I thought about her everyday wondering what type of person she'd be. If she'd have my eyes. Then her parents were killed in an accident and she had no other family." Quinn suddenly wished she hadn't agreed to this interview. The tabloids had blown up when Amy had appeared in her life and talking about it now brought it all back. "she's amazing. I don't really want to talk about this part of my life. I have never hid my past but I'm living in the present."

"She is amazing. She's in her final year of Julliard. I'm so proud." Rachel took over drawing the topic away slightly.

"Well it must have been like a fairy tale for her finding out her mother was Quinn Fabray."

"Actually she's a big theatre buff she was more impressed by Rachel than me." Quinn laughed.

"It was probably the fact that I was always singing show tunes. When she was in your tummy." Rachel said and ran her hand over Quinn's empty belly.

"Do you think they'll want to follow in your footsteps?"

"We have a rule in our house that you can follow your dreams whatever they might be AFTER you've finished high school." Rachel explained.

"Now you're taking on the small screen too I hear." The red haired interview asked this time to Rachel.

"That's true. I went to the studios early this year with an idea for a TV show about a glee club much like our own experiences of high school and it got picked up. So I started filming a few month ago the pilot airs next month. I'm really excited. I didn't want to go straight back to work after the kids neither of us did."

"Will there be a cameo from your lovely wife?"

"Only if she can keep up." That earned her a shoulder nudge from Quinn and chuckle from the audience.

"Also you have a film coming out later this month right?" Again the attention was back Quinn.

"Yeah. It's called Recycled Love. It's about this love triangle between three friends who met in college and they're still together."

"I believe you and one of the characters are married but you have an on going affair with the third friend."

"yeah but it's not a completely serious film. We've got Michael Cera and he is just so funny. I remember watching his films in high school. I never thought I'd be acting along side him."

"Oh dear we're running out of time I could talk to you both all day but I wanted to ask about your anniversary. You recently celebrated 15 years of marriage although you've been together since you were 17 and you're lived happily together ever since." Quinn didn't want to correct the woman or bring up the time when her and Rachel had separated for 6 weeks. 'I never want to see you again' still echoes in her mind with the same venom she had said it with it. The recollection caused a small shiver to run though her body. They were happy now, there was no point in bringing up their problems from the past.

"Sounds like a prison sentence." Quinn joked shaking the dark memories from her mind.

"I hear you did something special this year." Rachel started to blush slightly. Quinn found it odd that little things like this could make the brunette blush considering she had bared her chest many times in Spring Awakening.

"Yes I changed my name. I'm now officially Rachel Fabray. All the kids have the Quinn's surname, and when we got married we were establishes with our maiden names so we decided not to change them. But a few months before our anniversary a receptionist called me Mrs Fabray. And it just made me feel so happy to acknowledge it that I went and or my name changed."

"I couldn't have had jewellery." Quinn teased again but really she had been touched by the present more so than any number of diamonds.

"And I hear you got a tattoo?" Quinn made a funny face which was followed with a smile.

"Yeah." she removed her Cardigan that was covering her pale shoulders and exposed the few music notes that were inked on her skin.

"Can I ask what song they're from or are they just random?" The interviewer probed.

"They aren't random." Quinn explained. "They are from a song that means a lot to us." Quinn didn't want to divulge that those particular notes actually came from Jesse McCartney's song 'why don't you kiss her'. "I never thought I would want a tattoo because they're with you forever, but I think I'm going to stick with this one here." The blonde turned at beamed widely to her wife.

"You two are one of those couples who are so in love but it's not disgusting. It makes me want to get married."

"The truth is I fall in love with her more everyday." Rachel declared and Quinn felt tears hit the back of her eyes but didn't let them escape. "Quinn and the kids are the most important thing in the world to me, without them nothing else would mean anything."

"Okay I'm gonna have to stop you because otherwise I'm going to ring my boyfriend up right now and propose." She joked. "It has been amazing having you both here and thank you for agreeing to do your first joint interview with us."

"You're welcome. Thanks for having us." The married couple grinned but really Quinn just wanted to get her wife back stage somewhere quiet so she could show her how much she loved her.

"Tune in tomorrow when I will have the lovely Quinn Fabray's co-stars Emma Watson and Michael Cera. Good luck for when the film opens next month. And good luck with the pilot of Glee."

"Thanks maybe I'll see you again if it does well fingers crossed." Rachel said with a chuckle. But Quinn had seen the filming of it and knew it would become an instant cult classic and she wasn't just saying that because her wife was staring in it.

"I'll hold you to that." Fiona laughed. "Right so I'll see you all back here tomorrow."

They exchanged their pleasantries before excusing themselves back stage. Quinn had managed to pull Rachel into a dressing room that had been allocated to them, before she began attacking the brunettes neck kissing and biting the flesh gently. "I have a photo shoot tomorrow." Rachel tried to say but didn't stop the girl from her assault of her flesh.

"Do you want me to stop?" Quinn asked as she ran her tongue up tanned skin.

"I never said that." She began to pull up her skirt grabbing Quinn's hand and placing it on her already damp panties. "God if you aren't inside me in one minute I think I'm going to explode. I've been horny all day." Rachel breathed in deeply. Their was a knock on the door. "Are you kidding me! Just keep going." Quinn smirked pulling Rachel's

underwear aside quickly slipping her fingers into wet heat with the brunette instantly pushing her hips forward. She slowly began to rub her sensitive nub, and Rachel bucked her hips trying to get more friction. Quinn used her other hand to grab Rachel's thigh and pull it up pushing her harder into the door.

"God you feel so good. I want you to come so hard." Quinn whisper into her wife's ear and she felt hot breath on her neck. Even after all these years together she still loved making her wife come, she still found Rachel the most attractive woman in a room bar none. And no one turned her on more. Quinn enjoyed long hours of love making but right now she just wanted to get her wife off.

"Mommy! Mama!" The voice of their son caused both women to freeze. Quinn continued and gave her wife one quick hard rub before pulling her hand back rapidly, causing the shorter woman to whimper. Quinn flicked the lock open and their 5 children came bursting in.

"Why was the door locked?" Lily asked with a puzzled expression. Amy stood beside her sister clearly understanding the glow covering her parents cheeks. She shook her head and tried not to chuckle.

"Yeah why was the door locked?" She echoed the question.

"Erm your mama was going to...she was going to get changed." Rachel stammered and Quinn could see the way the brunette was keeping her thighs clamped shut.

"Get changed into what?" Amy continued looking around the room.

"Just you know into clothes. Did you want to finish your final year at college?" Quinn challenged with a raised eyebrow and her eldest held up her hands in defeat.

"Did I mention that interview was amazing?"

"Good save." Rachel smirked.

Harry pushed past Sacha and Masey and walked over to Rachel reaching to her. She scooped down and picked him up. "What's up little man?" She asked and he collapsed his head on her shoulder. "You tired?" She felt him nod his head. Quinn pushed his blonde floppy hair out of his face and kissed his forehead.

"Hey you lot want to go back to the hotel before we go out to dinner tonight?" Quinn asked the group.

"I was gonna do some shopping. Can I met you back at the hotel later?" Amy asked.

"I think you're too old for me to say no." Quinn admitted. "But be back for 6. I'll book a table."

"Can I go with her?" Lily asked and turned with pleading eyes to her older sibling. Quinn thought it was adorable the way Lily doted on her sister. With Amy at college Lily always wanted to soak up as much time as possible together.

"That's fine with me." Rachel said and Quinn nodded her head. "Just don't lose her."

"I Keep trying but she has an excellent sense of direction." Amy laughed as she put her arm around Lily's neck and pulled her out the door. "We can have a look for a denim mini skirt for you." Quinn heard Amy say as they left.

"Don't you dare! Past the knee!" Quinn called after them but they ignored her. "You two didn't fancy shopping?"

"Nah. I brought my new sports game with me." Masey explained. "I just want to play that."

"As much as I enjoy shopping I'm kinda tired as well. I've got the latest episode of 'so you think you can dance' so I want to watch it." Quinn chuckled looking between her twins they may been identical but they couldn't have been more different.

"Okay lets get back." Rachel said as she noticed that Harry had fallen asleep. "He's getting heavy and I don't have much upper body strength."

"You want me to take him?" Quinn offered as they started to leave the room.

"No. Soon he is going to be too cool for this." Rachel kissed the back of his head and led the way back to a car waiting for them.

Quinn walked at the back watching half of her family. Maybe they didn't get to have sex as much as they wanted. They hardly got any alone time but time like this when they were all together made it worth it. Her family was the beat of her heart. It also made those moments they did get alone even more magical.

"Mom hurry up!" Masey shouted and Quinn grinned before rushing to catch up.

This wasn't how she had pictures her life when she was 16, this hadn't been her dream. But this was so much better.


End file.
